Rain, Rain, Go Away
by pusa.is.me
Summary: [RuHaru] A rainy afternoon. No umbrellas. A bicycle. What could possibly go wrong?


**Rain, Rain, Go Away**

She had always been a complete klutz, so it wasn't a surprise when she forgot to bring her umbrella although the weather forecast that morning announced that there would be a heavy downpour later that afternoon. And since her two friends had to stay in the library late because of a term paper and her brother was still in his special class, she had no other way of getting home without braving the harsh weather outside. She considered waiting for her brother Takenori, but when she felt her stomach protesting she knew she had to get home soon and eat something decent before she passes out. She thought of searching for Hanamichi or Yohei, but neither boy was there; probably skipped class because of some unreasonable excuse that she would never know.

So there she was, standing alone in front of their school, forever contemplating whether she'd brave the cruel thunderstorm or wait until she passes out from hunger, when all of a sudden there stood beside her a familiar guy, a tall, lanky ace player who apparently had spent too long a time sleeping in class.

"No umbrella?"

She blushed profusely at the question; to say that she was embarrassed with the fact that Kaede Rukawa had to find out that she was such a ditzy, forgetful girl was an understatement. She thought about slipping away quietly to spare herself from further humiliation, but then again she had nowhere else to go anyway, not in the weather they were in. Besides, it just might be the perfect opportunity to finally get to talk to him without the RUKAWA cheerleaders throwing dagger eyes at her.

"H-hai."

He shrugged. "Me too."

And she couldn't help but smile; Rukawa did not seem like the kind of person who'd bring an umbrella to school anyway.

"So how are you going to get home?"

Another shrug. "I'll ride my bike."

"Out in the cold rain?"

"…"

"Oh, okay then." And a soft blush, because she thought she had just asked a very stupid question.

"…"

"…"

"You need a ride?"

"Nani!" she gasped, looking up at the tall basketball player.

"I can give you a ride home, if you don't mind getting wet in the rain."

Her head started to spin, as she began thinking how romantic the scenario would be: Haruko Akagi riding on Kaede Rukawa's bicycle during a cold, rainy afternoon. It would be very appealing if she wasn't concerned about getting sick the next morning from being out in the rain for a long time.

"That would be nice, but…"

"Okay, let's go."

She was supposed to give him a quiet thank you, followed with a polite refusal to do such a crazy thing, but the next thing she knew, she was already following Rukawa to his bike, and then hopping on and squirming involuntarily when she felt Rukawa's chest so close to her ear.

-o-!-o-

They reached her house in one piece, both of them drenched in rain. She was already shivering from the cold, while said ace player appeared as normal as could be, whatever normal for Rukawa meant.

"Thank you for taking me home," she said as she hopped down the bicycle, bowing politely and turning for the gate. "Would you like to come in?"

The ace player shook his head. "I have to go home and change."

She blushed. "Hai, of course. Well, see you tomorrow in school."

"Don't get sick."

Another blush. "Hai." And she watched as Rukawa sped off, neither looking left nor right as he crossed the intersection.

-o-!-o-

The next day she was sneezing her head off, already using a whole box of tissue when it was only lunchtime. Her friends were starting to get concerned, and even offered to go with her to the nurse's clinic to take something for the cold.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she told them, shaking her head and grinning forcefully.

But they won anyway, as Haruko couldn't stop sneezing and blowing her nose even after they've eaten. Entering the clinic they heard another set of sneezes, and the voice of an exasperated nurse muttering something about the consequences of staying in the rain for too long a time.

She almost burst into peals of laughter when she saw Rukawa sitting on the clinic's bed, a thermometer stuck in his mouth. He was paler than before, but his nose was a bright red, and his eyes were drowsier than ever from lack of sleep.

"Rukawa-kun!"

He looked up and nodded. The nurse turned and sighed. "You kids never learn. Playing in the rain will always, always get you sick." And when she signalled Haruko to sit beside the ace player, the Akagi girl had to force-shut a giggle so as not to further aggravate the nurse on duty.

An hour later, with her two friends back in class, and she and Rukawa both required to stay in the clinic to rest, she felt him stir and turn towards her.

"I told you not to get sick."

And she grinned. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "Did you bring an umbrella today?"

A laugh. "I did."

"Good."

"Did you?"

"No."

And both burst out laughing so loudly the nurse had to warn them about keeping quiet and getting some rest.

"You'll share it if it rains, right?" he asked, sneezing loudly after.

"Of course," she answered, with a small sneeze as affirmation.

**END**


End file.
